Balancing Responsibilities

Torvald shows a lack of respect for Nora’s independence as a person through refusing to recognize that she has other concerns and interests besides her duties as a wife and mother. Although Nora wishes to leave and experience this independence, Torvald continues to try to convince her otherwise: to stay in her “place” at their home and complete only her duties there.

“NORA: I have other duties equally sacred.

HELMER: That isn't true. What duties are they?

NORA: Duties to myself.

HELMER: Before all else, you're a wife and a mother.

NORA: I don't believe in that anymore. I believe that, before all else, Im a human being, no less than you —or anyway, I ought to try to become one.” (146)

In this scene, Nora expresses that she should feel like a human over anything else, alluding that through solely being called a mother and wife, she is inhuman or objectified. I feel that this relates to me as a student today through the duties different people in my life expect me to uphold, like the duties Torvald expects of Nora. Although many people or groups may express their understanding of my busy schedule, it sometimes seems as if one part of my life expects to be the only one taking up my time. At some points during the week, I feel inhuman- almost robotic- in response to the constant scheduling of events and expectations. For example, when one professor assigns so much work over one week, it seems that they do not recognize that I have other classes with work to fulfill aswell. Outside of schoolwork, I also have practice, work, social life, and free time that I need to organize. With all of these aspects competing for importance in my daily schedule, I sometimes feel controlled by them, in that social life and free time may be ignored.